Le Retour
by Blue Twilight
Summary: postPhase One. Now that the Alliance has fallen and she is planning to quit the CIA, Sydney is finally ready to settle into a new life with Vaughn. When a person from her past returns, however, Sydney's world is turned upside down. FIFTH CHAPTER NOW UP
1. A New Beginning

Note: _This fic is set post-"Double Agent". I borrow a little from the waking up scene in "A Free Agent", but mostly take it in my own direction. _

_Disclaimer: As I am sure you are all aware, I do not own any of the characters from **Alias. **They all belong to J.J. Abrams and crew. _

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Vaughn's eyes snapped open and he looked around, confused for a moment, before he recognized the yellow walls of Sydney's room. This was all still so new to him. He could not believe that he had gone from hopeless longing to having her in his arms in just one day. But all the worry and pining had disappeared with the downfall of SD-6. Now, everything was different. He couldn't have been happier.

Sydney smiled contentedly and curled closer to him. She felt that she would have been content to just lie there with him in that warm, sunny room for the rest of her life.

She felt him looking at her, and slowly blinked her eyes open to see him smiling down at her. She decided that she could definitely get used to waking up to his handsome face and strong arms each morning. "Hi," she whispered.

"Good morning," he replied. "Wow. Last night was…"

"Amazing," she finished, grinning. "I could definitely get used to this, Vaughn."

"Vaughn? Why don't you ever call me Michael?"

"I think Michael may have escaped from my lips at least once last night, no?"

He laughed softly and kissed her. "Maybe. My recollection of what exactly was said is somewhat vague. I may have been focusing on... other things."

She placed a kiss on his chest. "Yeah, I could imagine," she said, then sighed. "I wish we didn't have to go in to work today."

"Me too. But somebody has to save the world, right?"

"Right," she said, somewhat distantly.

"What is it, Syd?"

"I was thinking… When I first learned the truth about SD-6, I wanted nothing more to do with any spy stuff. When I realized that I could help to bring those terrorists down, though, I couldn't not. Now that the Alliance is completely destroyed, my mission is complete."

"So, you're thinking of leaving?"

"Yes. In fact, I'm doing more than thinking. I have my letter of resignation written and saved on my computer, ready to go whenever I decide that it's the time. I just wanted to talk to you about it before I did anything."

"Well, I have to say, I would miss working by your side all the time. Also, I think that you are a major asset to the CIA, and that they'd experience a great loss if you walked out. However, I want you to be happy. And if leaving would do that, then go ahead. Whatever you decide, I'm here for you. I want to be a part of your life, whatever path you choose."

Sydney paused and just looked at him for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that had begun brimming in her eyes. "Thank you," she finally managed. "You don't know how much that means to me."

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An hour later, Sydney walked into the CIA Operations Center. Marshall jumped up from his workstation and hurried over to her. "Sydney! I need to show you the new electromagnetic friction decelerator that I just completed. With this baby, you could jump off the Empire State Building (with a rope that you're hooked up to, of course, it isn't magic, it doesn't allow you to fly, that would be impossible, at the moment, anyway, I'm working on it) and come to a full stop on the ground without hurting yourself or even fraying the rope a millimeter."

"Oh. That's, um, great. I can't wait to see it."

"Yeah, let me show you. Where's Vaughn?"

"Oh, he should be in in about a half hour."

"Why? I thought that you two were… I mean, unless he's the type to just leave afterwards, I wouldn't know, of course. But in my experience, which I'll admit is limited, I've always thought it was nice to stay and wake up together, but if you and Vaughn are happy… Oh, hi, Mr. Bristow!"

Sydney tried hard not to glare at Marshall before turning around to face Jack. "Hi, Dad!" she said brightly. Jack just looked at her, his face even more solemn usual. "Dad, what is it?"

"Will you excuse us for a moment Marshall?"

"Oh, of course, Mr. Bristow. Sorry." Marshall gave a little wave, then scurried off.

Jack turned back to his daughter. "Sydney I have some good… Well, some news for you. I don't know how you're going to react to this."

She immediately grew serious. "Just tell me."

"As you are well aware, SD-6 was a very dangerous operation. We were never fully sure who was trustworthy and who wasn't. They were watching everyone closely, too closely to risk anything…"

"I know all this. What does this have to do with anything?"

"If you would be quiet a moment and let me finish, you would know. The CIA wanted to save as many lives as possible, at any cost. In order to do this successfully, they took some measures that have had to be concealed, even from you, up until now."

Sydney opened her mouth, then closed it again as Jack shook his head. She was getting impatient.

"Now, their decision in the matter of which I am about to inform you is one with which I am certain you will disagree. Frankly, that is too bad, It is over, and there is nothing that can be done to change things. This will, without a doubt complicate things for you. For that, I apologize in advance. Follow me, please."

Jack led her to one of the Operation Center's small, private conference rooms. He placed his hand on the doorknob, then paused and turned back to look at his daughter. "You would not attempt to kill a man who was already dead. This axiom encourages the utilization of faking deaths in order to save lives. You understand that, of course. Now that SD-6 is no longer a threat, these 'dead' are allowed to rejoin the living."

"Dad?" Sydney couldn't keep her voice from shaking. "What are you saying?"

Taking a deep breath, Jack opened the door. Sydney stepped in past him and saw a man sitting in a chair with his back to her. Upon hearing her entrance, the man rose and turned around.

Sydney's heart nearly stopped. "Danny?"

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_This is my first **Alias** fic. Please review and let me know how I'm doing and if you are interested in reading more. Thanks! _


	2. Old and New Collide

_Thanks to **Agent Bristow**, **Meadow**, **sarah**, **Natalie**, and **WyaRose** for their great reviews! _

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**Chapter 2 – Old and New Collide**

"Danny?"

"Sydney!" His face lit up with utter joy. "I was beginning to think this day would never come."

He rushed forward and caught her in a strong embrace. Sydney was frozen at first, then slowly began to return the hug. "You're alive." She hoped that saying it out loud would make his presence seem more real. She was fully expecting to wake up any moment now.

Danny pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "My God, you're beautiful," he breathed. "How I've missed you, Syd."

He kissed her, then, seeming surprised when she didn't respond. "Syd?"

"I'm sorry, Danny. I'm still in shock. I thought you were dead. I saw your body. What…?"

"The CIA knew, thanks to your father, that SD-6 wanted me dead. I had no choice but to allow them to fake my death and take me into protective custody until it was safe again."

"How did they know that it would ever be safe? They had been trying to bring down SD-6 for years. And why couldn't they tell me the truth when I went over to the CIA?"

"I think they had a lot of faith in you, Syd. They knew that you could bring about big change. But they needed you to be angry to do that. They wanted you to want revenge. I guess they figured it would make you work harder and faster."

Sydney's eyes blazed. "They manipulated me. I thought I was getting away from that by working to bring down SD-6, but now I fin out that even that was part of a manipulation? Dad?"

She whirled on him. Jack just looked at her, expressionless.

"But that's all in the past now," said Danny. "Please, Syd. It's all over now. We can finally be happy together. We can get married, have a family… Where's your ring?"

"Danny, I thought you were dead for nearly two years, remember? It's in my dresser drawer."

"Oh, okay. You should have heard them, Sydney. The guys I was in hiding with, they all told me that leaving my girl for so long would prove disastrous for our relationship, They told me not to expect you to want anything to do with me when I returned. But I told them that they didn't know my fiancée. I told them how amazing you were, how much we were in love. I said, 'Don't you say anything more. Sydney is my one true love, and I'm hers. She has faith, and we have such a connection, maybe she can still feel my presence. She would wait for me forever.' God, I'm glad to see you again."

Danny kissed her again, more fiercely this time. He interpreted her rapidly falling tears as ones of joy.

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"Danny, it's time for your debriefing. Please follow Agent Brady. You will be back shortly, do not worry."

Jack watched as Danny kissed Sydney one more time, then smiled at her before walking out of the room. She mustered a smile for him until the door closed behind him. Then she began to sob.

"Dad, why didn't you tell me? I can't believe you! What am I supposed to do now? What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Sydney, calm down. You can do whatever you want to…"

"Dad, he was… He is my fiancé and…"

"It has been a few years, Sydney. I am certain that he would comprehend if you no longer felt the same way."

"Were you listening to him, Dad? He is still completely in love with me. And, kissing him, I definitely still feel for him…"

"But?"

"Don't act as if you have no idea what I'm talking about. I woke up with Vaughn this morning."

"Ah."

"That's all you can say?"

"How else is a father supposed to respond to a comment like that from his daughter?"

"I am just telling you so that you can understand my situation."

"Well, it's simple. Do you love him?"

"Which one?"

"Do you love Danny?"

"I… I… I can't tell, yet. It's been awhile…"

"And Vaughn?"

"I… It's not that simple!"

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's… You know what? I need to go clear my head. Excuse me."

Sydney left the room and began to walk down the hallway. She tried to just concentrate on breathing for the time being. She hoped that she would be more capable of thought once she went for a run and went home.

"Sydney!"

She jumped and turned around to see Vaughn walking towards her. She felt her stomach flop uncomfortably.

"There you are. I've been looking for you all morning."

"Vaughn…"

He smiled happily at her. "This is so surreal. We can finally talk to each other in public, work together openly, be a real couple... And hey, there's no one else around at the moment."

He leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back for a moment, trying to forget the events of the past hour for just a little. Soon, though, she knew that she had to tell him the truth, and Danny. She pulled back slowly. "Vaughn, I need to tell you…"

"Step away, you bastard!"

"Oh, no," Sydney murmured, recognizing the voice instantaneously.

Vaughn turned to face Danny. "What did you just say to me?" he said tersely.

"Look, you just get the hell away from her. Okay?"

"What is your problem?" Vaughn asked, not recognizing the man.

"My problem? You're the one with a problem!"

"Okay. I don't know who you are, but maybe you're mistaking me for someone else. So let's just walk away, and stay calm. Okay? Let's go, Syd." He moved to take her hand.

"I told you to get the hell away from her!" Danny stepped forward and shoved him roughly against the wall. Vaughn responded instinctively, grabbing Danny's arms and twisted him around, then turning and shoving Danny, face first, into the wall.

"No, stop! Don't hurt him. He's… I can explain. To both of you."

Vaughn loosened his hold on Danny. "What do you mean to both of us? You know this guy?"

"Vaughn, this is Danny Hecht."

Vaughn recognized the name immediately. Shocked, he let Danny go and took a step back. Danny turned around slowly, wiping the bit of blood that had begun trickling from his nose.

Sydney looked at both of them. She felt like either throwing up or fainting. Instead, she tried to keep her voice calm as she suggested that they all go sit down and have a talk in the conference room.

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_Please review and let me know what you think of this so far! _


	3. Decisions

_A/N: I am sorry about the somewhat lengthy update time. Things have been kind of crazy for me lately, and I had a lot of different ideas as to where to go with this story. I hope you will enjoy my ultimate decision. Thanks for reading!_

_Also, many thanks to my reviewers: **Sydney, Natalie E, nikki, Arodloversus2001, irionelissa, Meadow, Five Stories Fallen, **and **Ellie**._

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**Chapter 3 - Decisions**

Sydney looked tentatively at Danny and Vaughn; both seated across from her at the conference table, trying to think of something, anything, to say that would ease the tension in the room.

Vaughn was looking straight down at the table, understandably unhappy. Sydney had just finished explaining the circumstances through which Danny had returned.

Danny just looked confused. Finally, he broke the silence by saying, "Sorry, Syd, I know that you're still trying to get your thoughts together, but who the bloody hell is this guy?"

"His name is Michael Vaughn. He is... Well, he was my handler when I worked as a double agent at SD-6. We… grew close."

"How close?"

"Um…"

"Look, Sydney," Vaughn interjected. "Our relationship shouldn't be something that you should feel guilty about. I care a lot about you, but if this isn't working out for you already, then let's just call it a failed experiment and move on, okay?"

"Vaughn, what are you talking about?"

"Mr. Hecht here seems to be under the impression that the two of you will be picking up right where you left off. If that is what you want, and it will truly make you happy, then I won't get in the way of that."

Danny gave him a dismissive grin. "That is very understanding of you, Mr…"

"Agent," Vaughn corrected.

"Oh, well, then… Agent Vaughn. Thank you kindly."

Again there was an uncomfortable silence. Sydney searched desperately for the right words to say, but could come up with nothing.

Vaughn took a deep breath. "Well, this is awkward."

"Thanks for pointing that out." Sydney smiled tightly and looked at him. He stared back at her. "What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing, nothing. I am very understanding, as your fiancé pointed out."

"Vaughn…"

"What?"

"I…"

"You can't just keep sitting here waiting for someone to wake you up and say that this is all over. It's real."

"You can't expect me to just know what to do in this situation."

"I don't. But I do have a job that I should be doing right now. So if you'd excuse me?"

"So you're just leaving? That's it?"

"Isn't that what you want, now? Wouldn't that make it easier?"

"I…"

"You don't know. I know. But that's not enough. You told me this morning that you didn't want all this 'spy stuff' to be a part of your life anymore. I get that. Go, be a teacher. Marry a doctor. Have a real life. If that sounds at all appealing to you, then walk out that door now and don't come back."

"Vaughn…"

"Do you even have something to say to go with that?"

She could do nothing but look at him.

"Then goodbye, Sydney. It's been a pleasure working with you." With that, he rose and walked out the door.

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Vaughn took a deep breath and knocked on the door to Sydney's apartment. He had been angry and upset, before, and was aware that he had spoken rashly. He wanted to apologize and have a real talk with Sydney. He was beginning to regret the actions that he had taken afterward, but reasoned that things could still be changed.

He saw the doorknob turn and prepared a smile that fell instantly from his face when the door opened to reveal Danny. "Ah, hello, Mr… I mean, Agent Vaughn. That's right, no?"

Vaughn just nodded. He could not believe this.

"Can I help you?"

"Actually, I'm here to speak to Sydney."

"I figured. Come in, come in."

Vaughn followed Danny into the living room. He could not believe that it had been just that morning that he had been here with Sydney, happy and laughing and completely in love. Now, he didn't know what to expect.

Sydney rose from the couch and turned to face him, surprise etched on her face. "Hi," she said, softly.

"Hi. If Danny doesn't mind, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

"Of course," Sydney replied, not even glancing at Danny. "Come on."

Vaughn followed her as she led him into her bedroom and closed the door. Both of them felt the extreme awkwardness of the situation, but tried their hardest not to show it.

"I'm sorry," Sydney said. "This is the only room that really affords some privacy…"

"It's fine, Sydney. I just want to talk. Look, I'm sorry I stormed out like that this morning."

"It's completely understandable. I should have made our relationship more clear to Danny."

"So there still is a relationship?"

"Of course. We'll always have… something between us."

"'Something' meaning?"

Annoyance crept into Sydney's voice. "Vaughn, my fiancé just came back from the dead! I would think that you could be more understanding that this is a difficult situation for me to be in."

"I do understand that. I just think we both could use some time apart to adjust to our new… situation."

"What are you talking about? I need some time to make a decision, okay? You're making something that's complicated too simple."

"No. You're making something that's simple too complicated. You can't keep two men dangling until you decide which one to cut down. If it's real love, you should know!"

Both froze at this. Vaughn hadn't intended to bring up "the L word" after just one date (one and a half, if you counted that botched time in Paris).

Sydney inhaled and exhaled a few times before deliberately saying, "I just need time. Please."

"We don't have time, Syd. I'm leaving."

"What do you mean?"

"This afternoon, I received a deep-cover assignment in Paris. I'm going."

"What the hell! Why? What are you thinking? How could you just leave after…?"

"I care about you, Sydney." His voice grew quieter now, until it was almost a whisper. Vaughn was all too conscious of Danny's presence in the next room. Sydney leaned closer in order to hear him. "A lot. When the Alliance fell, when that restriction was removed and it seemed like we could finally be together, I felt like the luckiest guy on Earth. I never wanted to cause you any pain. I never wanted you to feel torn over me. When I first realized that Danny was back, I wasn't sure what to think. I guess I held out hope that you would just know. And when you couldn't make a choice, you made the choice for me.

I don't want to lose you. I want to be a part of your life. But right now, I need to leave. Otherwise, it will be hard for both of us to move on."

Sydney's voice trembled. "But I don't know if I want to move on from what we had… have."

"It's the fact that you don't know that should be the clue."

They were both quiet then, just staring into each other's eyes. Without thinking, they found themselves drawing closer and closer together, until their lips brushed ever-so-slightly…

Vaughn pulled back and stood up abruptly. He was aware that he was holding on to his resolve by a thread, and he could not afford to lose it. Trying to keep his voice from wavering, he said simply, "Goodbye, Sydney."

"Vaughn…"

It took all his strength, but Vaughn forced himself to turn away from those beautiful, tear-filled eyes and walk towards the front door. Danny rose to show him out. "See you soon, Agent Vaughn?"

"No, I don't think so, Danny. I'm going away for awhile. I know she's strong, and she would resent my saying this, but please, take care of her."

"Of course. Goodnight, Agent Vaughn."

Danny watched as the handsome man walked away into Sydney's passed. He felt badly about it, but he couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped him. He walked inside to find Sydney standing in the doorway to the living room, trying desperately to hide the tears that were escaping. He walked over and put his arms around her, whispering over and over, "It's going to be alright, Sydney. Everything will be just fine."

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_Please continue with your reviews – they mean so much to me!_


	4. One Year Later

_A/N: As you can probably tell, this story will be completely AU after this point. Also, for the sake of this fic, Francie and Will are together, and Francie had not been doubled. You will be seeing both of them in a couple of chapters. _

_Thanks for the feedback from **sarah, Sydney, WyaRose, irionelissa, leggy9591, Five Stories Fallen, sid47, Forceful, Catherine, Arodloverus2001, Meadow, **and **froggygrl101**. Your reviews are greatly appreciated!_

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**Chapter 4 - One Year Later…**

_"Vaughn," Sydney sighed. "I am so happy you're back here with me."_

_"I am, too." He stroked her face gently as he smiled down at her on the bed. "I love you, Sydney Bristow."_

_"I love you."_

"I love you, too, darling."

Sydney's eyes snapped open and she turned to see a smiling Danny lying beside her. "Danny."

"Sydney. Are you quite alright?"

"I'm fine. It was just a dream."

"A nightmare?"

"No… Whatever. It doesn't matter. I'm awake now, right?"

"Right. We should probably get up and start getting ready for work."

"I still can't believe that they let you continue schooling while you were in hiding."

"I know, insane, right? But I'm thankful for it. It's because of that that I was able to start up my own practice last year and work semi-normal hours. And you are enjoying teaching.

"Yes, of course."

"So you don't miss the spy life at all?"

Sydney lowered her eyes and fought to suppress the memories that ached to resurface. "No. Not at all."

"Good. So the wedding is still on for next month?"

"What type of question is that, Danny? Of course it is."

Danny smiled. "Just checking." He kissed her, then rose to go take a shower.

Sydney allowed herself the luxury of lying in bed while Danny showered and dressed. She got up to kiss him goodbye, then proceeded to get herself ready.

Finally, she picked up her purse and opened the front door. She stopped in surprise upon seeing her father there. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"Can't a father just stop by to visit his daughter?"

"Dad, I am very appreciative of the fact that we've been seeing so much more of each other this past year. However, we both know that you would not be standing at my door at six in the morning if there wasn't something important that you needed to discuss with me. Also, you waited until Danny was gone, so I'm assuming it is some sort of CIA business. Am I right?"

Jack smiled. "I can see that you still have possession of the keen powers of observation that made you such an effective spy. May I come in?"

"Sure." Sydney closed the door behind him, then led him over to the couch.

"I prefer to stand, thank you," said Jack.

Sydney nodded and remained standing as well. "We might as well cut to the chase, Dad. What is going on this time?"

"Do you recall the Devrier case?"

"That was the one in which Pierre Devrier had acquired the building specs of the Tête Nucléaire Océanique, the new French design for a thermonuclear warhead, right?"

"Correct. Thanks to you, we were able to infiltrate Devrier's mansion and steal back the specs and supplies he had stored there. Also, you found your way to his holding cells and bailed out Professor Wagden, who Devrier was forcing to assemble the thermonuclear device."

"Yes, of course I remember it. But that was five years ago, when I was working for SD-6 and still thought I was saving the world. Why is it relevant now?"

"We recently had an undercover agent in Paris posing as a big arms dealer who was interested in dealing with Devrier. Our man worked with a French agent named Jean-Luc Pignon. They had planned a raid on Devrier's mansion a few days ago. Mistakes were made, and Pignon was compromised."

"Okay…"

"Pignon must be rescued immediately. You understand the consequences if Devrier is able to torture information about the new weapons technology or our operation out of him."

"Yes, I do. What I don't understand is why you are coming to me with this. I retired from the CIA a year ago, Dad. I don't want to be part of that life anymore. I'm content now."

"Are you really? Can you look me in the eye and say that you are truly happy, that there is nothing more you would want?"

"Dad…"

"Don't lie to me, Sydney."

"My complete and utter happiness or lack thereof is beside the point. Why are you telling me about Pignon and Devrier?"

"You are the only agent who has successfully broken into the secret subbasement in Devrier's compound. That is where Pignon is being held. Also, as you know, Devrier's security is nearly flawless. The mansion is impervious to surveillance. If we are to successfully retrieve Pignon, we need you. Otherwise, our agents will be going in completely blind, and the chance of success is very low.

I am not asking you to rejoin the CIA, Sydney. I want you in this life even less than you want to be in it. But I cannot deny that it is necessary to involve you at this point in this case. If you refuse to help, you are essentially forfeiting the lives of at least a dozen agents."

Sydney sighed. He father knew just how to get to her. "I suppose I have no choice, then."

"I suggest you call in to the university and request a vacation."

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Sydney couldn't help but feel a little nervous as she re-entered the CIA Operations Center for the first time in a year. As she walked to the conference room with Jack, she was met with many curious glances from her old co-workers. Marshall, Dixon, and Weiss all stepped towards her, but Jack shook his head and motioned them away.

"You can catch up later. Now, listen to me, Sydney. There is one more thing I should tell you. You will have to go in with the agent who worked directly with Pignon before he was captured."

"Yes, I would expect that. Who is it?"

"Well, that agent was…"

Sydney's came to a grinding halt as she entered the conference room.

"Hello, Sydney."

"Vaughn? I thought you were on a deep-cover assignment."

"I was. In Paris, remember? I was working with Pignon."

"Oh. I see."

"So…"

"Yeah…"

Jack cleared his throat in annoyance. "If you two are done being awkward, the less time we waste, the better."

Sydney glared at her father, but acknowledged that the sentiment he expressed was accurate. "So, are we headed to Marshall?"

"Vaughn and I are. You have something else you must do first, however, Sydney. Even if you can find Devrier's prison, there is a vast expanse of holding cells. We need to know in which cell block Pignon is most likely to be. Only one person whom we have at our disposal is liable to have that information."

"And who is that?"

"Your mother. She has been speaking to me of late, but after I mentioned needing to bring you in on this mission, she refused to discuss it with anyone but you. She misses you, Sydney."

Sydney narrowed her eyes at him. "Why did you tell Mom that I would be involved. Isn't she not supposed to know any more information than necessary?"

She could have sworn that she saw her father squirm for a moment before he coolly responded, "I thought that she would be more likely to give us accurate information if she knew who was being put at risk." He preempted more questions by rather briskly motioning to Vaughn and walking away.

Sighing, Sydney began the walk to her mother's cell. Despite her nervousness and annoyance at her father, she could not help but feel a spark of happiness at being able to see her mother again. Regardless of the many circumstances that would have made it highly unlikely, she had formed a bond with Irina Derevko, and was unable to help missing her for the past year.

The cell looked exactly as she remembered it, as did her mother, who was sitting in lotus position on the slate floor. Sydney coughed softly, and Irina opened her eyes. When she saw who her visitor was, she smiled and rose quickly, walking towards the glass wall that separated the two women. "Sydney! It is wonderful to see you again. I was beginning to think that I never would, after you left."

"I missed you, Mom. But I felt like I had to leave this life behind me if I wanted to have a shot at truly being happy. And without my CIA credentials, there was no way of seeing you."

"I understand. I don't need any explanations. Your father has been keeping me up to date about the goings-on in your life."

"He has?" Sydney asked, surprised.

"Yes," Irina responded, smiling fondly. "He can be quite talkative once he gets comfortable, though I know you may find that hard to believe."

Sydney made a mental note to ask her father about that at a later point.

"Anyway," Irina continued. "Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Who would have thought that it would be to Danny, right?"

"Um, thank you. It's hard to believe that I thought he was lost to me forever just over a year ago."

"So you are happy with him?"

"Yes, of course. As soon as I finish this mission, which I am hoping to do expediently, I need to start planning the wedding."

"Ah, the mission. That is the base reason why you are here, no? Pignon should be in block D. I took the liberty of drawing this map with some materials that Jack had given me." She passed a heavily-marked piece of paper to Sydney. "That should be helpful for navigating the cells."

"Thank you, Mom."

"Please do me the favor of coming by to tell me how the mission went before you turn in your badge again."

"Of course."

"And, one more thing. You are going on this mission with Agent Vaughn, correct?"

Sydney swallowed, not sure what was coming. "Yes."

"Will that be difficult for you?"

"Why would it be?"

"You obviously had feelings for the man. I quite liked him myself, to be honest. And I could tell even from my few brief encounters with him that he truly loved you. I don't think that things like that simply go away because a little bit of time has passed."

"I am happy with Danny, Mom. I can work with Vaughn on this mission without any problems, okay?"

Irina smiled. "I would be more convinced if you didn't sound so much like you were trying to convince yourself, sweetheart."

Sydney just looked at her, unsure how to respond. Irina finally shook her head and said, "Well, just be sure to let me know how it goes later on, okay? Good luck with all aspects of mission in Paris, my dear. Or should I say, _Bonne chance._"

Sydney smiled and said goodbye, then turned quickly away to try to mask the many emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. _She has not been part of a majority of my life. How does my mother read me so well? _

She made every effort to appear unruffled as she strode towards the tech room.

"Hey!" called Marshall as she entered. "It is unbelievably cool to see you working here again, Syd. I mean, wow. The spy couple is back in action!"

Awkward glances were exchanged around the room. Marshall, oblivious, began to repeat his explanation of the op-tech for Sydney's benefit. Jack interrupted. "Sydney can be briefed on the plane. We don't have time for a complete recapitulation of your ramblings, okay?"

"If you don't mind my saying, you are seemingly particularly tense today, Mr. Bristow. Maybe you could use a nice day off to relax…?"

"Thank you for your suggestion, Marshall. I'll take it into consideration," Jack replied, with gritted teeth. "Sydney, Vaughn. The plane will depart in a half hour. I hope you are prepared." He didn't bother to wait for their response. He simply strolled out the door of the tech room.

Vaughn rose and followed him, pausing to hold the door for Sydney. "Ready?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

Sydney just forced a smile and nodded, trying to belie the feeling that she would never truly be ready for this.

_Préparez ou pas, ici nous allons..._

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_Please read and review! _


	5. The Mission

_Many thanks to **leggy9591, src13, froggygrl101, irionelissa, o-See-No-Evil-o, Meadow, sid47, ArodLoverus2001,** and **Sydney** for their reviews!_

_I am sorry for the long update period. I am currently taking a summer course on writing, and I have had to do a lot of writing for that, so I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to work on this. I will continue to try to update as often as possible given the circumstances. _

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**Chapter 5: The Mission**

Sydney was looking out her window in the plane. She had reviewed the mission until the words swam before her eyes in an effort to avoid an awkward silence, but she couldn't do it any longer. To her surprise, he walked over and sat down in the seat next to hers.

"So, how are you doing?" he asked conversationally.

Sydney hesitated a moment, then decided to make the effort to respond in kind. "I'm doing well, thanks, and you?"

Vaughn just looked at her a moment. "Syd, it's me. A year may have passed, we may be in somewhat different circumstances, but it's still me. That cookie cutter answer isn't going to fly. So, let me ask you again. How are you doing?"

She looked at him in surprise for a second, then smiled and blushed a little. "Sorry, that's my automatic reaction, you know. Honestly, I'm okay. It was kind of tough not seeing my work friends as much, or at all, in some cases. Strangely, it was also hard not seeing my mom. Who would have thought, right? But I like teaching, even if it's not as invigorating sometimes, I've stayed close, well, closer, with my Dad, and I feel like I can finally sleep peacefully at night. So I guess overall, I really am doing well. Was that better?"

He smiled back at her. "Definitely. Oh…" The smile wavered somewhat. "How's Danny?"

"He's good, too. He has a full-time medical career now – his own practice – so no more long hours. We're getting married next month."

"Oh. Congratulations."

"Thank you. You're welcome to come, if you want, but I wasn't sure considering the circumstances…"

"Which?" He suddenly looked intense. Sydney found herself nearly stuttering.

"What… what do you mean?"

"Which circumstances? I mean, we were close friends and co-workers who happened to have a one night stand. And that was it, right?"

"Vaughn…"

"Well, wasn't it?"

Vaughn was trying to maintain a nonchalant demeanor, but Sydney could see right through it to the hurt that lurked just underneath. She felt her voice catch in her throat as she replied, "Of course not, Vaughn. Of course not. I wouldn't… I couldn't do that to you."

"Then why…?"

He looked deep into her eyes as if he could find some answer there. As green met brown she felt a spark between them and suddenly she was overcome with the urge to touch him again, to be held in his strong arms, to feel his lips on hers. A voice in the back of her mind warned her that she shouldn't be thinking such thoughts, but she could not longer remember why. She felt herself inching closer to him, then closer…

"Sydney," he breathed, forcing himself to draw back a little. "Why did you choose him?"

"I didn't," she found herself saying before she could stop and edit her words. "You left. You made the choice for me."

Pain came into his eyes. "I just wanted you to be happy, Syd."

"Couldn't you have waited? Just one day, and who knows what could hae happened. If only…"

"We can't dwell on if onlys," he said, his voice suddenly sharp. He rose abruptly and walked towards the front of the plane. "I'm going to check with the pilot to see how much longer we have until we arrive."

He stepped through the door.

By the time he came back a few moments later, Sydney had wiped the tears from her eyes and was once again studiously examining the mission briefing. This time, Vaughn quietly took a seat on the other side of the plane and stared out the window. The remainder of the flight was passed in silence.

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The mission had been a success. _Of course it was,_ Sydney thought. _Vaughn and I are good together. Work well together, I mean. Right._

She took a deep breath and continued running. After breaking into the compound, they had used Irina's intel to locate Pignon. It had been almost too easy. Now, Vaughn was escorting Pignon to the extraction point while Sydney was securing the perimeter one more time. They could not afford the risk of someone sneaking up and shooting them in the back on the way out.

She encountered another group of guards on the way and took them out. It had come as a surprise to her to find that she was getting back into the swing of her old job rather quickly. It was almost enough to make her reconsider her career change.

Almost.

As she finished off the last guard, she heard the fall of footsteps behind her. She whirled around and came face to face with none other than Pierre Devrier, his gun pointed directly at her head.

"Sydney Bristow," he said good-naturedly. "What a pleasant surprise. I had heard that you were coming back, but I have to admit that I didn't believe it. You had seemed so content in your new life. Wasn't thrilling enough for you?"

"How… How do you know about my life now?"

His voice grew hard. "I tend to want to keep tabs on the people who break into my compound and escape successfully, leaving my beloved wife bleeding to death on the floor. Wouldn't you?"

Sydney said nothing. She tried to surreptitiously glance around, searching for an escape route, but Devrier caught on. "My dear," he said. "You must understand that I cannot let you go without taking my revenge. No, not on you, don't worry. You can carry on with your mission when we're done here. Pignon is a fool, and he does not have the information that either of us desire. You can have him."

"Then what do you want?"

"You'll find that I am a fair man, Miss Bristow. I only seek to take from you that which you took from me."

"Vaughn," Sydney breathed. "Where is he? What have you done to him?"

Devrier raised his eyebrows. "Well, that makes things interesting, doesn't it? According to my information, your fiancé is named Daniel Hecht."

Sydney gasped. She stared at Devrier in horror, then managed, "You have Danny?"

"I have both of the main men in your life. However, as I said, I only want vengeance. I am a fair man. You killed one that I loved, I too will only kill one. Your choice, my dear. I suppose, technically, it's not fair because you would choose one you loved less if you had any sense so you could walk away and have a nice life with the other, but no matter. I'm feeling generous today." He smiled cruelly at her, then called to his guards. "Bring them in."

Two pairs of heavily-armed men entered, each with a hooded man between them. At Devrier's signal, the men were released and the hoods taken off. Vaughn and Danny stumbled, then righted themselves. All four men trained their weapons on them. Vaughn looked angry as hell. Danny's eyes were wide with terror. When he looked at Sydney, he tried to call to her, but one of the guards hit him and he went silent.

"Well, Sydney, it's getting late. We all have other places we'd rather be, other things we wish to do. Please, don't hold us in suspense. Which one will you have me kill?"

Sydney's face had gone chalk white. She looked from Danny to Vaughn, wishing desperately that she would open her eyes and this would all have been some sort of sick nightmare. Images flashed before her – Danny singing his proposal, Vaughn comforting her on the pier, Danny telling her about his plans for their family, Vaughn kissing her amidst the ruins of SD-6…

Devrier cleared his throat, and Vaughn's words from nearly a year earlier came back to her, _You can't just keep sitting here waiting for someone to wake you up and say that this is all over. It's real. _

Sydney took a deep breath, and sudden resolve came into her face. Making every effort to keep her voice from cracking, she turned to Devrier and said, "I've made my choice."

"Out with it, then."

She looked directly into Vaughn's eyes. "Etchings of the past float back to me now. I see what could have been…"

Devrier rolled his eyes. "I grow impatient. Say the name, or I'll kill both of them right now.

Sydney nodded, still looking at Vaughn. "Free Danny. Kill Michael Vaughn."

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_Only a few chapters left after this, I think. Please continue to review!_


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